Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Background Story
by Urza
Summary: Just my version of the plot to MVC2, as none was provided. Yes, this was up under Tualha's name earlier, that's my sister. I accidentally posted it there, and now it's back where it's supposed to be. Maybe a small amount of violence, that's it. Please


MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2 FANFICTION  
A moderately random work of fiction by Elijah 8 Horowitz  
  
CHAPTER ONE: CAPTAIN AMERICA  
  
After our work in dealing with Onslaught, Ryu and I decided to team up for a while: the defender of the American way and the most powerful single combatant on the planet. For a while, it was going pretty smoothly, with me dealing mostly in gun-toting criminals, and my ally taking care of the monsters from his own field of work, both of us helping each other out as necessary. Then came Abyss.  
Unlike Onslaught, this monster didn't have any discernable weaknesses, whereas Onslaught, Professor X gone wrong, could be assaulted on both a physical and mental level, and had emotional ties to certain members of the super hero community, such as myself.  
No, we couldn't find such a large chink in Abyss's armor, at least in terms of methods of battling him, and so far, no one had found a chink in his actual armor, the armor of Mars. This armor, said to have been worn at one point by the Greek god of war, was apparently the sole source of Abyss's power, but no one that had tried could get it off him or destroy it so that they stood a chance.  
Ryu, of course, was gladly ready to battle Abyss, despite the fact that his friends Dan and Sakura had already failed...but at least they survived. My comrade, Wolverine, thought that his diversified attacks would confuse and weaken Abyss. His tombstone reads, "He was the best at what he did."  
I warned Ryu that he would fail if he tried on his own and without extra training and strategy, but he wouldn't listen. I even tried to restrain him, but he cast me aside as a rich child would an old plaything. When I got back up, I followed him, hoping to help him in his fight, but I saw for myself the awesome power of Abyss. Arriving as their fight started, I saw Ryu's patented fireball, the Hadouken, become swallowed up and a more sizeable blast from Abyss, nearly killing Ryu and slamming him into the nearest building. The only thing I could do was get my friend away from this monster before he got himself killed in his zeal to be the best.  
After he recovered, I told him that Abyss had been able to battle with China's army until they surrendered, and that the monster had eliminated the fighters in that area. I could see the anger in Ryu's eyes, only slightly muted by the waves of despair and fear at being beaten so thoroughly.  
On the news the next night, I heard that the remaining Avengers, myself obviously not included, were calling a meeting to hopefully deal with the new threat to our planet. They were inviting anyone, hero, villain, or indifferent, who felt they could make a difference in the fight, and I knew that our best hope lay there.  
On the way to New York, I could see Ryu unconsciously flexing his muscles, yearning to once again do battle with a man who was able to defeat him.  
I was filled with immense pity for my friend, for I knew that we had stumbled upon a new form of enemy, one that even the most formidable fighters couldn't beat, and one that no amount of training or determination would beat, even if it was Ryu doing the fighting.  
He saw me looking at him, and he looked back at me quizzically.  
I turned my head and looked at the floor.  
  
CHAPTER TWO: JIN SAOTOME  
  
Miserable "super heroes." Disgusting creatures. Their sense of justice stems from their idealistic fantasies of a world free from pain and suffering. While they battle with their so-called "super villains," their own world is crumbling beneath them thanks to none other than those they protect. They're much too stupid to see the real threat, the threat of humanity.  
But this is the one group that may succeed in bringing down the tyrannical Abyss, the monster that's been slowly working his way along the globe, forcing country upon country to submit to its sadistic will. That kind of pure brutality can't be allowed to continue, and I, for one, won't have any of it, even if it means throwing in with these simple-minded cretins.  
In the assembled ranks I see my partner from the fight against Onslaught, Strider Hiryu, the jaunty robot Mega Man, his "sister" Roll, and their enemy, Tron Bonne, with her servant robot, Kobun. I also see various legends, Charlie and Guile, Thanos the titan, and Ryu, the greatest Street Fighter in history. Amateurs, all of them. Ryu's the only one I could ever respect.  
Some spandex-bound half-wit named Spider-Man is trying to call the meeting to order, with little success. Then suddenly, the lights dim, and a screen appears from the wall behind our frustrated host. It begins showing scenes from the various attempts to defeat Abyss, starting with Dan Hibiki's foolish antics, and finishing with Ryu's miserable beating.  
Suddenly, a voice resonates through the hall.  
"This video is proof, as if we needed it, that Abyss must be defeated at all costs. As you can see, five of Earth's most formidable fighters have already tried to dethrone this deranged psychopath, one of which died in his attempt. We cannot allow this kind of power to rule our planet, and we certainly cannot allow ourselves to sit around and watch!"  
At this, the lights came back on, and Captain America, the cheesiest hero of them all, was standing at the podium, Spider-Man watching in awe.  
"Now that I have your attention," he continued, "I propose a plan similar to the one that was adopted in dealing with Onslaught. However, as has been evidenced already, two fighters alone won't take Abyss down. While I admit that Wolverine wasn't ever on the best of terms with himself and wasn't the strongest fighter among us, we must consider the fact that Abyss is much stronger than Onslaught ever was."  
"I grow tired of this endless prattling, Captain." That was Magneto, famed villain and enemy of the X-Men. "If you have such a wonderful plan, tell us, or we might all be asleep from boredom when our time to fight arrives."  
Obviously angered, but not willing to react, he continued. "As I said earlier, two fighters won't do it. However, my sincere hope is that three will."  
Not surprising. When in doubt, call for backup. I suspect that Captain America will still partner with Ryu, but I can't imagine who their third member will be. I guess I'll find out, though, unless he's foolish enough to believe that the two of them are strong enough.  
"As you all know, Ryu and I defeated Onslaught, but just barely. To complete our team, provide the necessary skills missing from our duo, and to ensure the survival of the human race, we would like to invite Marrow, from the X-Men, to join us."  
Marrow, a smallish girl with the power to create and manipulate structures of bone, was obviously surprised at the invite, but recovered quickly. "I accept your offer, Captain America. I will do my best to help defeat the menace threatening our very way of life."  
There it is again. That stupid little-kid enthusiasm about everything, the undying optimism. To some, it would be inspiring. To me, however, it's simply irritating. If I had my way, the phrase "survival of the human race" would be punishable by death, but for now, idealism wins out over cynicism.  
"Very good," America said. "Quickly, I would like for the remaining 51 of you to form fighting trios."  
I found myself gravitating towards Strider, although I don't know why. He failed my in the last tournament. A youngish man, around 20, with a large sword approached us at the moment of our meeting.  
"My name is Hayato Kanzaki. I wish to fight beside you in the upcoming battle."  
No smiles, no pretense, and no bull. I might get to respect this guy. Hell, if he gets us to Abyss, I might even like him.  
"Well, Hayato Kanzaki," I say, "what makes you think you can help us in our fights?"  
"I watched your matches from the last tournament, and I know the type of fighter that can easily disrupt your team. I have also developed techniques that should make it easy for us to deal with this kind of person. And of course, I have studied Abyss' battle strategies and I feel confident that we can easily defeat him, unless he withholds some ultimate power from us at this point."  
"Very good." I nod my head in approval. "You have my vote. Strider?"  
Silent as always, the ninja simply moves his head up slightly, then down slightly, signaling his willingness to take Hayato under our collective wing.  
All around the room, we see similar encounters taking place, Mega Man and Roll accepting Hulk as their last member, the Silver Samurai and Magneto interviewing Sabretooth to see if he'll fit their predetermined vision of a partner. This process even I wouldn't like to undergo. Especially with the former two's collective wit and Sabretooth's bluntness. However, despite their differences, it works out. They look at each other, nod slightly, and offer their hands to the monster, who shakes them in response. I see the gleam in his eyes, the disgust in Magneto's and the pure boredom in Silver Samurai's, and, looking around the room at all the other powers swayed by evil, I wonder what kind of unholy agreement we have entered ourselves into. Or should I say forced into entering?  
I see Cyclops approaching his son from the future, Cable, and the two of them offering Ken Masters a chance to battle with them. After some good-natured banter, Ken agrees. Within ten minutes, the room is divided into eighteen groups of three, including Captain America's group. Lovely. Now we have our stereotypical good guys and our stereotypical bad guys lining themselves up voluntarily to die in battle against a superior foe. The unnecessary bloodshed that will come from this is unimaginable. However, this kind of stupid, pseudo-tactical nonsense is what gets people like Captain America up in the morning, and I suppose I ought to be grateful for that, at least.  
Seeing this newfound organization, our erstwhile leader and resident super-soldier speaks. "I see you have all formed you teams. Like our battle with Onslaught, only the strongest of these teams will go on to face Abyss, and they will have to prove their battle prowess in a tournament."  
Again, I wonder why we all don't fight Abyss at the same time instead of performing these stupid supremacy rituals. I would expect such blind displays of machismo from the villains, and even possibly some of the stronger, more headstrong heroes, but most of this patchwork fighting committee has no place in this twisted exhibit of stupidity. Again I think this, and again I tell myself there's nothing I can do except go along with it.  
"Marrow, Ryu, and I will gather group listings and organize a match bracket. The tournament starts tomorrow, so I suggest after your group is recorded, you go back to whatever training grounds you have, and practice. Hone your skills so that only the best is shown in this tournament!"  
After that short but somehow inspiring speech, the crowd cheers, but I simply turn away. My group looks at each other, the look of pity for our competitors' showing on our faces along with the determination to be the ones that face the monster that's been plaguing this world.  
Damn, I just said, "plaguing this world," didn't I? I've been hanging around this people way too long...  
  
CHAPTER THREE: SAKURA  
  
"SHOUOUKEN!!!"  
My fist, surrounded by my chi energy, batters my training partner, Charlie Nash, against and through a tree, and, after adding pressure, into the rock maybe twenty feet behind it.  
Too disoriented from my attack and the ones that preceded it, he merely holds his head while the remaining portion of the tree falls on him.  
Oops. Maybe I overdid it a little.  
Advancing on the tree-covered rock, and ultimately Charlie, I can hear his groaning. From the background, our partner in the upcoming battle, Gambit of the X-Men, quips in his silly Cajun accent, "I think pehrhaps Meester Charlie will feel zat one in ze morning, non?"  
I tired of his endless banter days ago, and I was just about ready to do the same to him, when from behind me, I heard a noise similar to that of thunder, only much, much louder.  
Turning around a bit too late, I see Charlie forming his energy projectile, named the Sonic Boom despite its sluggish speed, and hurtling it at me.  
I suppose I could have reacted in time, but the sight of him getting back up after what I did to him was just as staggering to me as the impact of his attack and the ones that followed.  
Gazing through the red haze that became my vision, I could see Charlie standing over me. Gambit approached us. I could almost make out what he was saying, but between the butchered English and the background roar in my head, all it sounded like to me was an airplane pilot coming over the PA system. After a minute or two of heated discussion (my guess is they were talking about the local sports teams), they both looked at me, showing unusual concern for males. Shaking their heads, they walked away. Oh, I couldn't actually see them, I was just about to pass out, it's just that they walked over me on their way to wherever they were going, probably breaking at least a rib or two.  
Ouch.  
  
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????  
  
When I finally wake up, I sit up quickly, to the dismay of every functional nerve ending in my body.  
It's times like these that I wish I were Ryu: not overly confident, not overly cautious. He does just enough damage to knock you out, and he knows it. There are no mistakes with him. Unlike myself, who lets my opponents get up and finish me when I think I'm the one who won.  
I suck.  
Well, that's why I'm in training, I tell myself. Even if trying to improve my skills with Cajun boy and the all-American hero will probably drive me insane sooner than help me any...  
Eventually, through a painful trial-and-error session, I find that I can sit up, and again, with time, move around.  
Stupidly enough, someone neglected to put a clock in the room I'm in, and, with the heavy curtains drawn, I can't see if it's day or night, or, to be dramatic, if I'm even in the same place as before.  
With that last thought ringing inanely in my head, I turn the knob on the door of my room, half expecting to find it locked (like that would make a difference anyway), and, heart pounding, open it to find...  
...the kitchen of our cabin, right where I should be.  
Great. I suck and I'm an idiot.  
I bet Ryu never does that...  
Moving on, I see the clock on the wall at the same time as the conditions outside, and those, along with the sudden tumultuous actions of my stomach, tell me I've been out for quite some time. Odd, that; I don't think I'm bandaged anywhere, and, to my knowledge, there's no such thing as a healing chamber yet. I wonder if this is a natural progression as part of my training? Maybe I've reached a level where I heal fast! Or maybe I've just been out for a long time...  
Either way, I'm hungry, and you can't spar on an empty stomach. Especially considering my last try. If that's the case, I'd better get something big.  
Opening the refrigerator, I see what my choices are: ham, cheese, some sandwiches, turkey, rice, and some leftover Mexican food. And to drink, there's some juice, some milk, and a few 20-ounce bottles of various sodas.  
Looks good.  
After finishing, I tell myself to remind the guys to go shopping, then set out to look for them, starting with their respective bedrooms. Not surprisingly, they're not there (hey, it's two in the afternoon; why should they be?), so I head outside, a strange feeling in my gut. I think it's just determination or maybe even doubt left over from my last match, but I can't be sure.  
It could also be the Mexican.  
Either way, something's amiss as I go outside.  
"Gambit! Charlie! Charlie! Gambit! Gambit! Hey, knuckleheads!"  
I dunno...that last one should've got their attention if the first tries didn't. Or maybe they're ignoring me on purpose. It wouldn't be too much of a surprise, at this point.  
After exploring a little around the grounds, I see signs of a scuffle (ooh, that's a fun word!) but, y'know, we're training. Eventually, though, I start to get a little worried. What were they doing all the way out here? I must've walked at least a mile or two, and they haven't shown any signs of responding to my increasingly hoarse calls.  
After maybe another half mile of walking (if my feet never forgive me, they'd be right in doing so), I come upon their unconscious bodies. Well, yeah, I mean, after battling for unknown hours across miles of terrain, one of them probably knocked the other out and then fell asleep.  
But that doesn't make it easier for me to carry them back to the cabin.  
Making my way back to the cabin, collars in hand, innocently ignoring the thudding sounds my partners make, I see a shadowy figure.  
Not shadowy in the sense that he was concealed in regular shadows, or that his figure was obscured by shadows, but in the sense that he seemed to be in a red shadow, if you can imagine that.  
Dropping Chuck and Gambit (oh well), I make my way towards whoever this is.  
"Look, buddy," I saw, using my most authoritative voice, "I don't know who you are, where you come from, or how you get that funky lighting thing to happen, and I don't care, although it would be nice to know about the lighting, but you're kinda sorta trespassing, so if you don't mind leaving?"  
If whoever it was made any move at all, I couldn't tell, so I decided to bring out my status. "Listen, pal," adding a little edge to my voice, "I happen to be Sakura, famed fighter, fighting in a tournament against Captain America and even Ryu, so I suggest you get yourself to somewhere a little less inhabited by superior fighters."  
Finally I elicited a response from my enigmatic companion. "Well, then, Sakura," he said in a smooth, mocking voice, "I'd better get going, shouldn't I?"  
Slightly annoyed by his condescending tone, I hotly replied, "All right, whoever you are, I've had enough." Dropping into my loose fighting stance, I saw the red ether drop away from my challenger, and I saw the devil.  
Akuma.  
Wonderful.  
Relaxing my stance to the point where it looked like I was just plain standing again, I stared quizzically at Akuma, and, suppressing my surging fear, asked, "So, demon, tired of training? Decided to sneak over around and get an unfair advantage in the tournament? The upper hand? I'll bet you didn't count on me being in a position to stop your little rampage, did you?" At this, I repositioned myself into a more strict stance, one that, while I actually hadn't practiced it at all, was just a more conventional version of my normal stance.  
While my voice showed haughtiness and confidence, I knew that even Ryu had trouble beating Akuma, and if Gambit and Charlie tried together and still failed, I really stood no chance in the world of winning.  
Akuma laughed an amused, toying kind of laugh, made no move in response to the retaking of my stance, and, still chuckling, said, "Oh, dear, dear Sakura. I did not come here to fight, although it is one of my few remaining joys. These fools thought they could defeat me in combat. As you can see, they came nowhere close to their goal.  
"No, instead, I came here to train you. Watching your previous training in secret, I saw that your fighting style is closely related to that of Shotokan, and since that is true, I can easily teach you my style, which is much more powerful."  
This came as a surprise. I knew that Akuma had tempted Ryu with his style before they had become enemies, and that Ryu, when experiencing untold anger, could revert into it, but I had never actually known why he had abandoned it in further pursuit of the Shotokan discipline. He already had me trying to copy his style, just like Ken, and Dan creating his own, severely broken version, Saikyo-Ryu. Not to mention the countless adolescent boys who hoped to be the next Street Fighter champion despite their inability to control their chi. Plus, as is known to everyone, Ryu is always looking for a challenge in any form, so why he had rejected the style was always a mystery to me.  
Somehow, with all of this information dancing around in my brain, I decided to put it to the test. Hey, why go in for a fighting style worse than the one you already have, right?  
"Well, Akuma," I say, suspiciously, like I expect him to be lying, "if you and your hellish fighting technique can best me and my traditional Shotokan, I will consider training under you for a short period of time."  
The second I was done speaking, I felt Akuma gathering his chi for a massive attack. I readied myself, presuming it to be an energy attack. When he slowly glided forwards in an unfamiliar stance, I told myself he had made a mistake. Many fighters relied on high-chi attacks that would only fully work if the first hit of many possible connected.  
As he neared me, I confidently held my guard. And as he grabbed me, I heard him whisper the name of his attack, "Shun Goku Satsu." Somehow, between the simple stating of the phrase and the actual physical attack, I manage to translate: Imprisoning Death Flash.  
Aptly named, my world went white, permeated only by repeated shocks of bright color, then black.  
Days later, when I awoke and was fully healed, he told me he had named that attack the Raging Demon for those who didn't speak the traditional fighting language of Japanese.  
I asked him when my training began.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: ABYSS  
  
So, they've started preparing themselves for the inevitable battle. So be it.  
I knew that, after destroying the little one, they'd be back. In such numbers, though, with such unexpected allies...perhaps I will have to train harder than I thought.  
But no matter. Whatever forces they can bring to bear upon me will only strengthen my newly acquired Armor of Mars.  
Ah...but what if they do, somehow, manage to penetrate my precious armor? Perhaps I will have to come up with something a little more...original...  
But first, to scout the competition, so to speak. Time to go watch their little tournament of fools.  
It's truly inspiring to see the multitude of powers assembled to do the impossible, and even more inspiring to see them brutally maim each other in fruitless pursuit of an even greater defeat. Ah, mortals...I had almost forgotten what real entertainment was.  
The first match is the favorites for the competition, Captain America and his team, versus the overall outcasts: Felicia, Amingo, the fighting cactus (fighting cactus?), and Sonson.  
Well, that fool Dan manages to defeat Marrow all by himself, a fact that shows its grim impact on the faces of her partners, but other than that, the match is simply a warm-up for the later matches that Ryu and his team will face.  
How am I supposed to judge the true strength of my opponents-to-be when all they do is fight punching bags? Perhaps I should introduce myself, and truly test the fighting prowess of these acclaimed warriors...  
As I blow away the side wall (into an unfortunate spectator, effectively dooming his team to fight man-down in their upcoming battles), I hear shouts of "Abyss!" and "Good God!", and many others that I would not soil my mouth with.  
The true fighters attack: Ken, Ryu, Wolverine and others.  
The strategists hang back: Captain America, Cable, and Guile. The militaristic crew.  
The cowards and the intelligent run: Mega Man, War Machine. Those who know they cannot hope to defeat me without further training.  
Quickly throwing aside the Shotokan fighters and the truly foolhardy, I wade through the ranks of heroes and villains, momentarily allied. Their combined might trembles in my hand as I assess their combined potential as fighters.  
There are some surprisingly strong powers in the room, but no three individuals can ever hope to defeat me. Alas, I had hoped for a good fight.  
Disgusted, I turn and walk away. The few that are still capable of fighting hurl themselves at my back; my armor alone deflects their weak, spiritless blows. There is no further need for me to bother with these imbeciles. When the time comes, they will present themselves to me, making of themselves fodder for my growing power, and for the plants that grow in the dirt.  
And yet, I cannot shake the premonition that there will be a day in which one of these scum manages to challenge me. I am not afraid, though...death can only make me stronger, and continually fighting will only make these fools weaker and more susceptible to my wrath.  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: TRON BONNE  
  
"Kobun! Kobun, come here!"  
Walking jauntily (well, jauntily for a robot), my little servant approaches.  
"Servbot model Kobun, awaiting your wish, my mistress."  
And they say it's hard to find good help these days.  
"Kobun, tell me what just happened, and when you're done, fix my mech."  
"Yes, ma'am. We believe that Abyss broke into our tournament facility, assaulted random tournament entrees, and then left. The reasoning behind his attack is unknown, and the pattern of injured fighters is completely random. Several combatants have already been transported to the hospital in hopes of healing them before Abyss decides to attack again. Most subjects are progressing very well, the exception being Shuma Gorath, on whom a section of the wall landed in the first seconds of Abyss's onslaught. However, due to his alien physiology, we cannot be sure of his status. Is this information satisfactory?"  
"Yes, yes. You may now commence repairing my mech."  
With a slight bow (like anyone can tell?), Kobun departs to start fixing my poor, broken mech, which I need desperately if I'm to compete against the likes of the demon Blackheart or the unstoppable Juggernaut.  
After getting up, I look around. Everywhere, the remaining fighters are cleaning up the disaster area that is our tournament facility. Or should I say was? Hulk's moving boulders, whereas Roll is simply hauling pebbles in a sack.  
I do so hate manual labor.  
Sadly, I can think of nothing worse than such a deplorable fate as to fight that veritable mountain of power by myself...if it comes down to me versus him, I'd suggest getting a head start to the hills.  
The power I saw from his single attack matches nothing I've ever seen. MegaMan, my most powerful and cunning foe, couldn't match half the power of the creature called Abyss. If only I could find a way to harness that power without risk to myself, I would be the most powerful fighter in the known universe. While reviewing it in my mind, I can only see a flash of what I can imagine was pure power, the essence of the human spirit that gives strength to the fight. However, such a large outpour of one's own energy would normally kill a man, with perhaps the exception of Ryu, the Shotokan master. This leads me to believe that he has a nearly immeasurable store of offensive energy and therefore the capability to do infinite damage. With odds like that, I wonder if our little tournament will even come to anything...or if all of us combined could defeat him.  
Still, though, I must conclude that because of his preemptory strike, he had reason to try to disable our tournament or its participants, meaning he has some fear of them.  
This thought alone gives me hope as I walk (my mech behind...what an odd feeling, using my own legs to move) out of the former training dojo and into the desolate streets beyond...  
  
CHAPTER SIX: AKUMA  
  
It took six months for those weaklings to recover. Six months. Of course, my ever-present nemesis, Ryu, was able to recover within days...which was nothing in comparison to my dodging the attacks with my teleportation technique. The Dark Shotokan does have its advantages. Perhaps the most irksome part was that my training sessions with the young Sakura were brought to an abrupt halt.  
To survive using the Dark Shotokan, one must convince another Shotokan fighter to adopt it as their style, and then slowly feed off of their chi and leave them to die. Without the dark life force of another, the art slowly feeds from its user until what should have happened to the student has happened to the master.  
Daily, now, I can feel it gnawing at me, slowly eating away at the reserves of my power. If this keeps up for long, Sakura herself could defeat me. What a deplorable thought.  
Fortunately, I was able to teach her all that she needed to know before her debut match, which I look forward to seeing immensely.  
Though I am comforted by the knowledge that I will survive through this ordeal, I am shamed to say that I can't stop myself from thinking on Abyss' power. Such a power I have seen only from the one who taught me the Dark Shotokan. I was able to kill him only in a moment of weakness...I would have been reduced to less than ashes in a real fight.  
But my master had more balance. I have more balance, myself, if not by much. The only thing I sense in Abyss' immense store of chi energy is the will to destroy. I cannot know his (her?) origins, but if what I believe is true, not only will the beast not know any defensive techniques, but he will also be damaged much more by a blow than a normal fighter would.  
This may be our only hope...if I can assemble my team based on pure offensive capabilities, we have a chance of damaging him beyond his ability to fight back before he can unleash his considerable powers upon us.  
However, I know that if I get caught off guard, it will not take much else to render me unconscious, if not dead.  
But I cannot ponder the situation further, the battle awaits...  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN: OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT COMMENTATOR  
  
"Yes, folks, here we are, finally, at the first day of the famous and well-anticipated New Age of Heroes Tournament. The very first match will feature on one team, the infamous Sentinel, the flamboyant Ken Masters, and the all-American Guile!"  
Pause. Let the crowd cheer their favorites. I hate my job.  
"Their opponents will be an all X-Men team! This was to be expected, as the X-Men have created a very cohesive and potent team. I'm sure you will all be excited to see who made the team, as you know that only three members per team are allowed. The first member, and team leader, is Cyclops! Second up, the second-in-command, Storm. And lastly, but not leastly by any means, the shadowy Cajun, Gambit!"  
Being in New York, this gets a mixed reception. Some back the equal rights movement for mutants. Others, still stuck in 18th century-ish stigmas, boo those who are different.  
"Combatants, chose your first member to fight!"  
Sentinel steps up to face those who have always been its enemies, while Storm volunteers to go first for the X-Team.  
"Ready? Fight!"  
Immediately after my voice stops ringing throughout the stadium, the sounds of battle replace it.  
Storm, knowing that Sentinel is hopelessly slower than she, starts dodging around the arena with a dazzling display of her mutant powers, every so often throwing hurricanes and lighting bolts at her enemy.  
Unfortunately for the poor woman, she gets too close too many times, and combined with his damage-buffering armor, Sentinel uses his analytical software to determine her next move, immediately lets his armor take a hit for him, then launches her into the air with a savage upward kick.  
Following her in the air, he then chains two punches and kicks together before a great wave of power that even I can feel radiates from the spot of their battle. Becoming compact, turning on the formidable jets that power its flight, and creating an energy shield in front of its "head" take less than a second for Sentinel, who then proceeds to ram Storm with the energy barrier, severely injuring her.  
I can see her compatriots wince even from here.  
As soon as she hits the ground again, she signals her teammates for a tag, and Cyclops comes barreling in.  
Again, it seems fate isn't on the side of the heroes today, as Sentinel blocks the tag and does the same air-based combo he did against Storm, severely dropping both the vitality of Cyclops and the morale of his team.  
This time, though, Cyclops doesn't tag out. For a while, he hops around the arena, using his double jump to avoid Sentinel's robotic fists and feet. After a few seconds of this, he finds his opportunity: two low kicks followed by a roundhouse. Not any roundhouse, though. Again, like Sentinel's "super" moves, a wave of energy is released from the kick, the damage it does is normal, and Sentinel flies off into the sidelines, temporarily disabled.  
Forced to enter the competition, Ken enters.  
Cyclops, obviously having planned for this, calls Storm from the side to help him, and she sends a tornado in Ken's direction. However, Ken is known for his speed, and is certainly not a stupid fighter, and jumps above it...  
...into Cyclops' fist. After following with another series of hits, Cyclops does a corkscrew uppercut into Ken, ending with a ruby bolt from his eyes.  
However, he's not done yet. Like Sentinel, he's also figured out how to chain his most powerful moves from his basic attacks, and starts up his super, blasting Ken upward with a long, thin optic blast.  
Midway through the attack, he signals Gambit to pull off his super. Cyclops jumps to the side, and Gambit jumps in, clings to a wall, and throws seven charged cards at the ground, forming a wave that knocks Ken clear across the stadium.  
The crowd is in awe.  
As Gambit dashes to where Ken lies, Ken rolls backwards, and calls his partner, Guile, to throw one of his infamous Sonic Booms, as he then does.  
Gambit, obviously not impressed, jumps high over the projectile, which gives Ken an opportunity to switch Sentinel back into the fighting.  
The Cajun, perhaps too eager to prove himself, dashes headlong towards Sentinel...  
...who has already signaled his other two team members to use their supers all at once.  
Gambit doesn't stand a chance.  
In flawless execution, Sentinel creates a yellow ball of pure energy to hold Gambit in place, Guile uses all of his strength to create a larger version of the Sonic Boom, the Sonic Hurricane, and Ken finishes with his deadly Shoryu Reppa.  
After the fireworks finish, Gambit falls unconscious to the arena floor, where he is immediately teleported to a hospital for recovery.  
Storm was the next to fight, but this time she was much more wary of Sentinel's attacks, and kept well out of his range.  
Soon, she was able to catch him using a slow projectile move, and flew to the corner of the arena.  
Suddenly, along with Storm's release of chi energy signaling a super, there came an intense cold, as hundreds of pieces of hail created in a flash by the X-Woman hurtled towards and impacted Sentinel.  
Unable to stand against this barrage, Sentinel fell to pieces, which were also teleported away, this time to a good mechanic.  
Ken entered next, but immediately decided that he didn't want to fight Storm, and Guile's tag-in took Storm completely by surprise, launching her, spiraling, into the air.  
He followed by immediately launching Storm back into the air with an uppercut, hitting her four times with a series of punches and kicks, and finishing with his signature Flash Kick.  
As he landed on the ground, he threw a Sonic Boom at Storm and jumped at her, hoping to land on her other side and confuse her into blocking in the wrong direction.  
Storm, however, had apparently had enough, as she used most of her remaining fighting energy to create a sudden lightning storm, completely stopping the Sonic Boom and giving the audience a good view of Guile's skeletal structure.  
As he rolled from his prone position on the ground, he saw Storm take flight. As she hovered towards him, he feigned wooziness. Then, just as her hand was raised to start another devastating combination of attacks, he called Ken.  
Launching himself from the ground immediately, Ken threw Storm across the screen using the Shotokan uppercut, the Shoryuken.  
Storm, perhaps realizing that her time would soon be up, tagged out to Cyclops.  
Seeing her signal the tag, Guile switched also, to Ken.  
Cyclops came in, missing Guile, who was on his way out.  
Ken came in, hitting Cyclops, who had just entered. Determined to win, he followed with the Shinryuken, a veritable column of fire.  
Cyclops, still in stun from the tag-in, had no chance at all. He had teleported away before his clothes stopped burning.  
That left Storm to battle Ken and Guile. The rest of the fight didn't last long, with Ken finishing off Storm with a Tatsumaki-senpu kyaku, the hurricane kick that Ryu made famous.  
The crowd went crazy to see that the two "true" Americans won over the mutants...apparently everyone had forgotten Sentinel's rampage through New York.  
"And the winners are Sentinel, Ken, and Guile! Here at the same time tomorrow, Dan Hibiki, Shuma Gorath, and Kobun will face off against the well-anticipated team of Jin Saotome, Hayato Kanzaki, and Strider Hiryu!"  
I left with the crowd's cheers ringing in my ears.  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: STRIDER HIRYU  
  
"How can you call that a battle? I wanted to fight, not watch!"  
My fiery companion Jin pounds one gloved fist into the wall, and watches the cracks work their way outwards from where his fist hit.  
"Look, I'm sorry, but I just didn't need you two. Their team was composed of losers and rejects. They stood no chance against us. I would have showed off more, but I need to save my most powerful techniques for when I face a challenge."  
I've had enough. "Quiet, both of you. We've accomplished what we set out to do. All this does is bring us one step closer to fighting Abyss."  
They both know I'm right. They glare at each other, then finally shut up.  
After watching the replay of our match on the television in the ready room, I see that what he says is true: Dan uses a wretched version of Shotokan (the Saikyo-Ryu)...he never could have won. Shuma Gorath was the only challenge. The depth of our un-knowledge about him would pose a problem, if he weren't already defeated. Kobun deals so little damage that I doubt a team of twenty of him could beat us.  
But my real question still remains unanswered.  
What is Abyss' true goal in all of the chaos he's caused? So far, we've heard no demands, and if there is a pattern to his vicious attacks, no one knows what it is. No one destroys for the simple sake of destroying. No one. Not the villains in Shadowlaw, not the fanatical Magneto or his follower, the crazed Sabretooth. Especially with such savagery and intensity.  
If we could only discern his motives, any fight with him would already be half-won.  
My purpose here is unknown as well. I know that I made the decision to participate, but for what reasons, I'm still not sure. There are certainly things I could be doing that have a better chance of succeeding than fighting against my allies in a contest to see who can throw themselves against an apparently all-powerful, purely evil abomination.  
This entire tournament amounts to suicide for the winners...but I know that if we can just find the why, we can win...  
  
CHAPTER NINE: CABLE  
  
God, is this time messed up. I thought my time was bad...in this time, we have to fight to prove our worth against each other instead of facing the real threat, Abyss.  
But if this is the way my father and his people like to run things, I'm in no position to argue.  
Then again, it's not like I'm doing too badly...making it to the semifinals out of a field of 16 isn't too bad, unless maybe you're in the NCAA. I really hate fighting against faces I remember. The X-Men are the worst. Ever since I was little, I've been taught that the X-Men were the heroes of their day, and that their death basically resulted in the shattered and barren state that my world is in.  
Watching my father lose in the first round was crushing, and then being forced to defeat Iceman and Rogue separately...it was almost too much for me to handle.  
My father's loss was, of course, only exaggerated in my mind because it was dealt at the hands of Sentinel, the one who was the source of all of the chaos in my time in the first place. I wasn't too thrilled to see Magneto start winning either, but I'm confident I can beat him, if I have to face him.  
And my teammates aren't helping things along any, either.  
Akuma just plain scares me. He's so dark. Everything about him screams desolation and rage. I can't sense what the Street Fighters call "chi," but I imagine that what I feel when I'm around him is his...it would certainly match his personality and fighting style. He fights so effortlessly, as if his opponent's pain and anguish were a game to him. I wouldn't be surprised. Especially after he uses the Raging Demon...the pure malignant energy force released from that technique chills me to no end.  
Cammy, on the other hand, I know so little about that I can't be sure whether or not she's on our side. That's what scares me. In my time, if you don't know someone's allegiances, you know they're trouble. I know that's not always applicable in this time, but I just can't shake the feeling that something's not right with her. Especially after the first time she woke up screaming in her sleep, surrounded by her "Psycho Power" (not a friendly name).  
This entire thing just has me a little weirded out, I guess.  
Hopefully, fighting will take my mind off of it...I'll need to be focused on my next match anyway...semifinals are never easy, and if I'm going to help my team beat the two Iron Men and B. B. Hood, I'm definitely going to have to be at the top of my game.  
  
CHAPTER TEN: OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT COMMENTATOR  
  
"Here we are, folks, at the semifinals of the New Age of Heroes Tournament. The competitors battling today have made it through a difficult field, and are now going to bare their skills for you as they continue their quest to reach Abyss!"  
Ever satisfied, the crowd cheers themselves close to hoarse. I hate the crowd.  
"Today, the valiant warrior from the future Cable, the dazzling assassin Cammy, and the shadowy karate master Akuma face off against the heroic duo of Iron Man and War Machine, and their partner, fresh from the Dark Stalkers campaign, B. B. Hood!"  
As the competitors trot out of their ready rooms, the crowd fills the arena will sound, which echoes in and out of the myriad craters and other pockmarks that the various combatants have left as souvenirs for the soil of the battle floor.  
Expectedly, each team sends out the first name on the roster, and Cable prepares to fight a hero he's never known and, probably, never will.  
"Ready? Fight!"  
I have to shout to make myself heard over the tumult of the crowd, but heard I am, and fight they do.  
Immediately, Cable jumps in the air and throws an Electrap. Iron Man deftly avoids the trap and manages to catch Cable with some Smart Bombs as Cable misreads his opponent's movements and fires a Viper Beam off into space.  
Landing when Cable is still recovering, Iron Man then connects with two crouching kicks, and then calls in War Machine.  
In perfect timing, War Machine releases multiple missiles into Cable's prone body, which is practically waiting for Iron Man's booted foot to impact it, launching him into air.  
In a severely unexpected move, Iron Man goes into a series of hits that ends up repeating itself.  
An infinite combination of hits?  
There's nothing against it in the rules, so I guess the referees can't stop it. And so, it continues.  
The crowd gasps in shock as they see their favorite go nearly limp as Iron Man's stamina wears down, and he has to stop his brutal series of hits to rest his tired reflexes.  
Punching the ground as he gets up, Cable waits for Iron Man to release another series of Smart Bombs, and then tags out to Akuma, who hits Iron Man just after the bombs impact.  
Waiting patiently for Iron Man's spiraling form to hit the ground, Akuma then executes a sweep, then suddenly jumps horizontally, electricity flowing from the amount of chi used in his personalized Hurricane Kick.  
The crowd, nodding their heads practically in unison, knows what's coming next.  
The wave of power, old and clichéd at this point, signals Akuma's Tenma Gou Zanku, a supercharged version of his air fireball.  
Iron Man's armored body is pounded by fireball after fireball...until, midway through the attack, another super signature goes off.  
This time, Cable's back, pulling out of nowhere his Viper gun, and unleashing his pent up frustration at Iron Man in the form of a giant pink beam, blasting away at Iron Man's health and morale.  
Then, a third super.  
This time, Cammy enters, bounces from the ground to the wall, and launches herself at Iron Man, hitting him four times before catching him in midair and slamming him on the ground.  
This garners a modest applause from the crowd, who, after such attacks as the Black Hayato, needs to see something a little more impressive than three chained supers to really get started.  
Apparently eager to please, Cammy dashes towards Iron Man, kicks him while he's still on the ground, launches him into the air with another kick, then proceeds to do her entire air combo, leaving Iron Man on the ground yards away. Surprisingly, when Iron Man gets up, he doesn't tag out. Instead, he waits for Cammy to extend her double jump near enough to him, and then calls for his Proton Cannon.  
Cammy, being a smart fighter, sees this coming a mile away, and blocks.  
The crowd is a bit upset at this, because, as with most special attacks, some of the fighter's health is taken off by so-called "chipping" damage, the pure physical force of the attack that penetrates any blocking technique. Most attacks bring moderate chipping damage, but the Proton Cannon carries quite a lot, and the crowd views this as a cheap strategy, and a few boos are heard.  
Then, apparently wanting to tag out all along, War Machine enters and does his version of the Proton Cannon. Along with comparable chipping damage. If the crowd thought the first time was cheap, they'll love this.  
By the time B. B. Hood starts her super (surprise, also with major chipping damage), the crowd has almost entirely turned in the other team's favor.  
This is proven as, when Cammy finishes blocking the Cruel Hunters, she tags out to Cable, who, after kicking B. B. when she was twirling the Uzi she carries in her hand basket, calls in Akuma to hit her on the way down, which he does, quite eagerly, if one can tell.  
Obviously lining up his attack, Cable waits until the last two hits of the Hurricane kick, then rushes in to hit the little red-hooded fiend with two uppercuts, the second of which sends her flying upwards, followed quickly by her assailant.  
One air combo later, B. B. decides she's had enough, and tags back to Iron Man.  
Cable blocks the tag-in, and the crowd readies themselves for a real show, now that Cable can do whatever he wishes in the time that Iron Man steadies himself from his tag-in.  
Instead of a show, they see the result of careful planning.  
Cable hits Iron Man with two low kicks, calls in Akuma to do his Hurricane Kick, then throws an Electrap to ensnare Iron Man, whose vitality is running low.  
Then, Cable rushes in, and tosses Iron Man across the field. This time, though, he doesn't get up.  
War Machine is forced to enter, and does.  
Cable, seeing his entrance, quickly jumps in the air and fires off a shot from his regular handgun to intercept War Machine.  
The crowd, knowing that War Machine sees this, and will block, is scratching their collective heads.  
However, Cable is unfazed, and immediately jumps back in the air and fires off a Hyper Viper Beam.  
Everyone knows War Machine meant to block.  
War Machine meant to block.  
The crowd expected War Machine to block.  
But Cable knew something no one else did, and War Machine doesn't block after all, and gets hit.  
Then, when that beam finishes, Cable hops up to do another. And another.  
Finally, after the light show ends, the audience showers Cable with applause.  
And in response, Cable tags out.  
Akuma enters, hitting the shocked and confused War Machine before he can remember to block, and finishes the warrior off with an air combo.  
Then, apparently eager to satiate the crowds' enthusiasm for more flash, Akuma toys with B. B. until he has built up enough chi energy, then catches her with the Raging Demon, finishing her off in suitably show-offy fashion.  
Endgame report, let the fans cheer themselves retarded.  
I'm leaving.  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN: AKUMA  
  
What fools. They sincerely believe that the reason I finished the match with my strongest technique was to impress the audience.  
There was only one person I was aiming for.  
I know Sakura has made it this far, but not once has she had the opportunity to use the skills I taught her, and so, each match, I grow weaker. I must get her to use the Dark Hadou in her next match, or I may be so weak that I hurt my team in battle.  
I can sense the conflict raging inside her subconscious mind: to use what she knows is right, the true Shotokan style, the style that first drew her to fighting because of Ryu's exploits, or the Dark Hadou, the style she knows to be more powerful? She must chose the latter, or I have no future.  
Me executing the Shun Goku Satsu was merely a reminder to Sakura that I had taught her how to be over twice as powerful as she is now, and that she might need to use it soon.  
Knowing that girl, if I remind her frequently enough, she'll start doubting her own powers, especially since she saw how awed the crowd was.  
If I can ever hope to defeat the one who beat Ryu and learn his secrets, it is vital for Sakura to be the stepping-stone up to the final battle.  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE: ABYSS  
  
I can feel the energies growing. The champions I face will be much stronger than I anticipated because of the growth they have been forced to stay alive in the tournament.  
Perhaps my myriad forms will not defeat the warriors I face in the end. If this is so, I cannot envision myself winning.  
To this end I must either find that which I seek or destroy the combatants before they become powerful enough to defeat me.  
If only my goal were in my grasp...the armor of Mars is powerful, true, but it is nothing compared to what I could wield if I could find the ancient book of chi mastery.  
It is said that the Shotokan style of fighting (and therefore all of its offshoots, which sadly includes the Saikyo-Ryu) were started based on the knowledge found in this one tome. However, it is also said that each style has a weakness, making in an imperfect demonstration of what the book preaches. The pure Shotokan techniques are lacking in both speed and power, the Saikyo-Ryu attacks lack everything but speed and power, and the Dark Hadou is almost completely without defensive methodologies.  
And there have been others, too. Forms of fighting that were nearly perfect, but were missing a key element, and so died out. If I could find this book, I know that, with my knowledge of the battle and the armor of Mars, I could perfect chi fighting.  
I wouldn't need the armor to be the most powerful fighter. Even the energies of those around me would contribute to my power, including my opponent. Such a person would be undefeatable.  
And to this end I search.  
Sadly, it is no longer in its resting place, or even near, as my search began in Japan and its surrounding countries. However, it was nowhere to be found. Even now, in the later stages of the game, I have had no luck whatsoever determining its location.  
However, I have found a clue...an ancient map, nearly decayed from age, that indicates, in the most primitive incarnation of formal Japanese, of a powerful book...but the map shows a cave, and I have already explored the area shown and found no signs, visible, seismic, or otherwise that a cave exists there. Still, I must take this into consideration...  
...but for now, I need to concentrate on the finals, as to better prepare myself for my opponents.  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT COMMENTATOR  
  
Thank God. At last, after this one match, I can go back to Monday Night Football. This is hell.  
But sound cheery I must. Damn it all.  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages!"  
No one said I couldn't take my material from the Ringling Brothers.  
"And welcome to the Grand Finals of the New Age of Heroes Tournament!"  
Again, that damn crowd with its damn cheering. And damn signs. And damn foam #1 hands. I hate people.  
"Competing for the privilege of fighting the mighty Abyss and determining the fate of the planet, the tournament favorites, Ryu, Captain America, and Marrow will battle against the underdog team of Cable, Akuma, and Cammy! This should be an exciting match!"  
I see some commotion on the field, as Marrow comes out of her ready room limping and bruised.  
Her angry voice fills the stadium, "Dammit all to hell! I can't fight...right before the match, someone smashed the lights in my ready room and beat my knee into powder in the dark. Dammmit again!"  
This makes the crowd a little antsy. How are they supposed to see a fight with only two-thirds of a team?  
Suddenly, though, a young schoolgirl walks out from the crowd.  
"I'll fight."  
A yell goes up from the crowd, as Sakura smiles at the audience.  
I think it's just my imagination, but I could swear for a second that Akuma and Sakura look at each other and wink.  
"Well, then, it looks like we have a substitute fighter! Teams, send out the first fighter to battle for the tournament championship!"  
Cheers erupt as Ryu and Akuma face off against each other...a textbook match up.  
It's evident to me that both teams want the match to start off with intensity, and therefore started with their most devoted and powerful fighters. It just so happened that they both hated each other, which I'm sure neither team minded much.  
"Ready? Fight!"  
Akuma jumps in the air, then suddenly arrows downward, foot extended.  
Ryu, apparently, has seen this more before, though, and counters with a Shoryuken, slamming Akuma into the far wall.  
Akuma recovers, bounces off the wall, and throws fireballs down at Ryu all the way until he touches down on the ground.  
Ryu blocks every fireball, though, and as soon as Akuma lands, throws one of his own.  
Akuma responds by teleporting through the fireball, and behind Ryu, where he picks Ryu up by the scruff of his gi and throws him over his shoulder.  
Ryu rolls back to Akuma, and tries to poke at him with crouching jabs, which Akuma blocks.  
Then, suddenly, Ryu calls in Sakura, who pounds Akuma with her Shououken, setting him up for Ryu's Hurricane Kick, which he uses to combo into his super fireball, the Shinku Hadouken.  
The gigantic blue beam impacts Akuma's body, which, after his Dark Hadou training, can't stand much punishment.  
Akuma knows this, and, as soon as he lands from the blow, uses his own super fireball to cancel into Cable's Hyper Viper Beam, and thereby tag out safely.  
Ryu continues to fight, avoiding Cable's Viper Beams and Electraps, and poking Cable with the occasional jab or short kick, until finally he is hit by Cammy's Cannon Flight.  
That does not deter the red bandana-sporting karate master, though, as he then jumped in at Cable again, blocked the Cannon Flight, then called in Sakura after jumping to Cable's other side.  
Too concerned about his partner's safety, Cable doesn't notice that Ryu has switched sides, and walks into Sakura's rushing attack.  
Then, Ryu dashes towards the prone Cable, and releases a massive amount of chi energy.  
This is a huge surprise to the audience, as none of us has seen such a potentially damaging super from Ryu in the tournament.  
Thrusting his left arm upwards in a quick jab, he starts, "Shin!"  
Following with a quick right uppercut, electricity is flowing from the amount of fighting energy used to execute this attack, making Cable's robotic arm twitch. "Shor!"  
Another two uppercuts see Cable's jaw shatter and his neck gain another few inches from his skull separating from his spine. "Yuken!"  
Cable can hardly be teleported away quickly enough...his blood has been spattered about, and I can imagine that pieces of his jaw or teeth will be found on this spot for years to come.  
Cammy then enters. If she's nervous, it doesn't show. She must have a plan.  
When Ryu starts his cross-up, call in Sakura trick again, she hops over the both of them, lands, and hits Ryu with two low jabs before knocking him clear of the ring in what the audience has oddly title a "snap-back."  
Sakura enters, and immediately turns her back on Cammy.  
Less than a second later, her skin darkens, her eyes obtain a red glint, and she uses a measure of chi.  
Again, new techniques. What end can there be to this insanity?  
Of course, none of know what this does, and at first, it looks like nothing.  
However, we all soon see what effect it's had: she's become Akuma.  
Ryu is aghast. His steely glare turns to Akuma, who is trying to put up a calm façade as Cammy is methodically beaten into an unconscious heap of flesh and bones, but even from here I can see the fire smoldering in his eyes.  
As he enters from Cammy's defeat, he casts one evil glance at Sakura, and she freezes. Akuma then uses his own snap-back, sending Captain America into the battle for the first time.  
Obviously not ready to fight, Captain America tags out to Ryu.  
However, Akuma is equally obviously not willing to fight anyone but Captain America, as he snap-backs Ryu as well.  
Now it's just Captain America versus Akuma, one on one. I for one cannot discern Akuma's purpose in doing this.  
However, it soon becomes clear as Captain America's slow fighting gait sees him steadily lose ground to the battle-savvy and lightning-quick Akuma.  
Soon, Captain America is battling not only Akuma, but his beaten body, screaming at him to lie down and give up. He knows this isn't an option, though, and continues to fight the uphill battle.  
However, Akuma quickly draws his opponent's suffering to a close and sends him into sleep, as he releases the most chi anyone has felt yet, and activates his Raging Demon attack.  
However, this time something's different. Instead of being three brief flashes, there are more like twenty. The attack seems to last forever.  
When Akuma's done, the audience gasps in shock, and those with weaker wills either turn away or vomit.  
What's left of Captain America can hardly be teleported anywhere for any kind of healing.  
When Ryu enters, vengeance lending a steel-hard backing to his already formidable stare, Akuma holds up his hands in surrender.  
"I have no will to fight you anymore. My team has lost. I surrender."  
Ryu is barely able to contain his rage, but he knows that any loss of temper on his part can, and will, lead into him reverting to the Dark Hadou fighting style. He accepts Akuma's plea for mercy.  
"However," continues the monster, "we can all plainly see that Captain America is in no condition to fight. Since my partner Cable is hospitalized indefinitely from that technique of yours, Ryu, and Cammy's mental state is unstable, I suggest using me as the third member of your championship team, and taking me to fight Abyss. I am your best and last hope."  
The crowd's shock and disgust is echoed in Ryu's face, but he knows that Akuma says is the truth. He grudgingly shakes his former opponents hand, but makes it clear that they will still remain archenemies if circumstances make that necessary.  
I'm so stunned by the carnage Akuma has created, that I almost forget the treatment referred to by Akuma in his speech...he's shown us that even the purest heroes can resort to overkill measures sometimes.  
"Well, folks I believe we have our winner."  
I almost continued with "and loser"...but I think Akuma's been tempted enough already today.  
"...and the team of Ryu, Sakura, and Akuma will journey to the last known locale of Abyss, and challenge him to decide the fate of humanity!"  
The crowd, finally muted, gives some scattered applause, then leaves, paled in complexion and torn apart emotionally from the desperate politics of a dangerous fighter.  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE BATTLE  
  
At last, after all of the waiting and posturing on the part of the challengers, the fight has been arranged. At the unnamed tomb where Abyss found the book of the ancient chi masters, he also found Ryu, Sakura, and Akuma waiting.  
The shrine to the book was in good condition for the years it had seen, but that mattered little, as it stood before almost complete destruction before the hands of the earth's most powerful fighters.  
Abyss expanded on his core form, a small blood red sphere made of pure chi, into the first form that attacked the fighters before their tournament even began, a hulking monster with green horns, wearing the armor of Mars, with glowing green slits for eyes. He towers over Ryu by six feet easily, but Ryu has fought more intimidating opponents before, and is not afraid.  
Just before the battle begins, Ryu tied the headband that always accompanied his gi, and asks himself the question he always asks himself when preparing for battle, "Am I worthy of this fight?" His mind momentarily drifts back to his earlier defeat at the hands of this same man, and he knows that even if he is not worthy, he must fight.  
Akuma now knows the purpose behind Abyss' attacks, and cares nothing for the armor of Mars. All he wants now is the book of the ancient masters. If he could sustain himself while using the potent Dark Hadou fighting style, he would be the universe's most powerful warrior for a long time to come.  
Sakura watches anxiously as Ryu steps up, and wonders if she's done anything wrong by training under Akuma and using the dark secrets he has taught her. She also wonders to herself if she let herself get in over her head.  
Abyss thinks not. He knows that the fight is more important than anything he could possibly think, and acts accordingly.  
Rearing back for less than a moment, Abyss forms a huge wall of energy before him, and dashes headlong at Ryu.  
Ryu's fighting instincts serve him well, and he jumps in time to avoid a normal-sized fighter. However, even with his good head start upwards, Abyss catches him bouncing him to the ground. He rolls away, throws to quick Hadoukens towards Abyss, who is mindlessly continuing his charge.  
Ryu sees the projectiles impact, as Abyss gives no sign of even trying to muffle their impact. He obviously trusts that his armor can protect him until his offense wears Ryu out.  
Ever in action, Abyss crosses his arms just in front of his face, and the room suddenly goes cold as the chi energy of most of the air is used in powering Abyss' gigantic attack.  
However, Ryu now knows how to avoid Abyss' attacks, and soars over the monster's head as he fires a huge stream of chi energy into nowhere, smashing through a side of the temple wall and out through the mountainside beyond to impact a small village miles away. The religious authorities there will discuss this for hundreds of generations before the legends of the fight reach them.  
On the other side, Ryu gathers his own chi energy, and releases his own blue stream, a Shinku Hadouken, which impacts Abyss.  
Again jumping to Abyss' far side, Ryu avoids a chi-enhanced swipe, and calls for Sakura, who enters and executes her Shououken, ramming Abyss from behind while Ryu again jumps to his opponent's other side.  
As he jumps, Abyss readies a different type of attack, raising his fist and calling down a hail of green bolts, which mercilessly pound Sakura while Ryu is forced to block, unable to retaliate.  
When the seemingly endless storm ends, Ryu knows he cannot allow this battle to continue much longer. He waits for Abyss to make another charge, then hops over him. While in the air, he executes a Hurricane Kick, which connects. After landing, he dashes towards Abyss' back. Once there, he connects with three quick punches, a Hadouken, three kicks and another Hurricane Kick.  
Perhaps realizing that his first form has weakened almost to the point of defeat, Abyss once more readies his man-sized chi beam, which Ryu again avoids, and again throws two Hadoukens.  
The first impacts, knocking Abyss to his knees, and the second passes by harmlessly. Green ooze seeps out of the armor of Mars, now battered beyond use from use by an incompetent fighter.  
Ryu takes a moment to make sure of Sakura's health, then takes a confident stride towards the ancient fighting manual.  
Before he can reach it though, the sanctuary tumbles down, and a green form rises from the remnants of Abyss' first incarnation.  
Ryu readies himself for another battle, and jumps at the green fiend.  
He quickly learns, though, that he cannot use the same tactics against this form as the last, as his kick connects, but immediately after his landing, he is met with a smaller, but still extremely potent, beam of energy. After rebounding from the multitude of hits, Ryu prepares to end the fight quickly, and launches a Shinku Hadouken.  
Sadly, he fires into midair, as his enemy has sunken into the ground, and three green bubbles take his place. Ryu is unable to stop himself from being trapped in one, and another beam is fired at the Shotokan master.  
Ryu realizes that he cannot be of any further use to his team, and signals for the now-healed Sakura to replace him.  
Sakura tags in, and barely recovers in time to block a jet of purplish flame from the emerald demon. She retaliates with her own Hurricane Kick, which lifts her up and over the beats as he fires a third beam, this time hitting nothing.  
Sakura takes the opportunity to connect several times with a variety of hits. However, when Abyss again disappears into the decimated ground, Sakura is too close to have a hope of avoiding the ensnaring bubbles, and is treated to her opponent launching what seems to her to be pieces of itself at her, leaving instant bruises on her skin from their velocity.  
She realizes, as Ryu had, that the fight must be ended quickly if she has a chance of winning. To this end, she turns into Dark Sakura, able once again to utilize the full abilities of the Dark Hadou.  
Quickly reaching back with one hand, she lets herself rest on air, a warped version of the Shotokan square horse, and fires a deep purple blast at Abyss, which seems to go right through his murky form.  
However, the second form of Abyss falls as did the first, melting slowly into the ground.  
Sakura wipes her brow clear of sweat, praying that she wouldn't have to fight any further.  
Her wish is promptly denied, though, as the remainder of the room crumbles, and the floor is covered in a red mist. The ball that is Abyss is seen again, and spreads to fill any walls that may remain, casting a horrifying red glare on everyone and everything in the former shrine.  
Suddenly, a gigantic red abomination arises from the gloom, fangs dripping green ichor that provided the base for the previous form, eyes black as death, and a body dripping with what seems to be lava.  
Sakura says to herself, "I can't handle this...I wasn't meant to fight such a formidable opponent." As if sensing the young girl's doubt, Abyss immediately dashes towards Sakura, ramming her with the bulk of his body.  
Sakura, shaken from her stupor, remembers to tag to Akuma, who is more than willing to defeat this monster if it means retrieving the book that holds the secret to immortality and omnipotence.  
However, he shows his over anxiety as Abyss disappears from sight, and Akuma starts to throw his own fireballs in the direction his enemy left. In his frenzy to attack, Akuma forgot to defend, and seven pillars of fire erupt one at a time beneath Akuma, juggling him mercilessly until he finally hits ground.  
Never before has Akuma been so enraged. However, now he has the necessary means to defeat his greatest foe. Patiently waiting for Abyss' return, Akuma then jumps and rains down fireballs on Abyss, then calls for Ryu to execute his Shinku Hadouken, midway through which Ryu switches to Sakura's own super fireball, which sends the monumental red beast reeling backwards, and a bright white flash illumines the battle grounds as the monster known as Abyss, bereft of the element of surprise and the advantage of mystery, dies.  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SAKURA  
  
Ohhhhh...  
I don't think that I've ever been in this much pain from a single battle.  
Ryu and Akuma both seem to be okay, but a little shaken. And both of them are perfectly focused on the book, the driving force behind this entire odyssey.  
Oh, no.  
The only way they can settle this is through a battle...that is the only way things can be settled between these two.  
And I know I'll have to be caught between them.  
For a while, it seems as though they're testing each other, which I find a bit hard to believe, as they've had quite an extensive battling history.  
However, soon the fight gets underway in its true form. Jabs are met with blocks and counters, sweeps are jumped over, fireballs slam into walls, and Hurricane Kicks meet with air only, as both fighters decide when to attack and when to defend.  
Soon, though, the fight starts to swing in Ryu's favor. Not much, at first, just a slight impact from a gloved fist or a bare foot, but slowly Ryu starts to control the match. It takes the world's reigning fighting champion no time at all to get Akuma back on his heels, and even less to cause his opponent to approach me.  
Me?  
"Listen, girl! This is your last chance! If you help me defeat Ryu, if you use the techniques that I taught you, I can help you to become the most powerful combatant in the history of mankind!"  
Ryu, knowing that any further attempt of Akuma's to physically defeat him would fail miserably, fights him on the verbal front.  
"His fighting style is one formed of killing and pain. The goal of the fight is never to kill your opponent; the goal is always to win as honorably as possible. There is no honor is this man's fighting! You cannot allow his promises of power to win you over."  
"Listen to him whine! You've seen for yourself what my powers can do, that they are the most potent form of martial arts to be discovered yet. The only weakness they have is that the user becomes almost twice as receptive to pain as any other. Other than that the style is perfect: an offensive attack for any and every situation, and a defensive maneuver for any conceivable attack. If we took the manual, we would be indestructible! Use your powers now, defeat Ryu, and we can rule together!"  
"I implore you, Sakura, you cannot accept this man's techniques! Anything is acceptable in this man's eyes: look at what he did to our partner! I can't allow you to help him in any way."  
They continue to argue, sentences growing shorter and tempers growing hotter.  
Inside my mind I battle: I know that Ryu is right, that there is no honor in fighting like Akuma, but I also know that Akuma is right, that I can become the most powerful fighter ever.  
I became a fighter because I wanted power, but I also became a fighter because I wanted to be like Ryu.  
I've always trained myself to fight in the ways of the Shotokan, and even though I haven't done too well, those are my roots. But Akuma's style was so much easier, came so much more quickly.  
So many reasons for Ryu...  
So many reasons for Akuma...  
But there can only be one answer.  
Both enemies pause their argument while I walk over to the book.  
Why should a third party decide the fate of two fundamentally opposite forces that have been warring since their existence?  
Gathering my remaining chi energy, I prepare to completely obliterate the book that's caused the death of a good fighter, and countless injuries and rivalries, and the deaths of thousands of innocents, and caused the suffering of countless more.  
Akuma screams, his eyes show only fear. Ryu devotes his energy to stopping Akuma, and his eyes show understanding and resignation to the truth.  
I watch intently as the book becomes a pile of ashes, to no more pester the people of this planet.  
Ryu and Akuma, their conflict having been ended, glance at each other once more, then go their separate ways.  
I'm alone, finally, in the remnants of the cave of the book of the ancients.  
...wait'll Kei hears about this! She'll never believe it!  



End file.
